OBJECTIVE A multicenter trial of chemoradiation therapy to evaluate the feasibility of extended field radiation therapy (ERT) with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin, and to determine the progression-free interval (PFI), overall survival (OS), and recurrence sites in patients with biopsy-confirmed para-aortic node metastases (PAN) from cervical carcinoma. METHODS Ninety-five patients with cervical carcinoma and PAN metastases were entered and 86 were evaluable: Stage I--14, Stage II--40, Stage III--27, Stage IVA--5. Seventy-nine percent of the patients were followed for 5 or more years or died. ERT doses were 4500 cGy (PAN), 3960 cGy to the pelvis (Stages IB/IIB), and 4860 cGy to the pelvis (Stages IIIB/IVA). Point A intracavitary (IC) doses were 4000 cGy (Stages IB/IIB), and 3000 cGy (Stages IIIB/IVA). Point B doses were raised to 6000 cGy (ERT + IC) with parametrial boost. Concomitant chemotherapy consisted of 5-FU 1000 mg/m2/day for 96 hours and cisplatin 50 mg/m2 in weeks 1 and 5. RESULTS Eighty-five of 86 patients completed radiation therapy and 90% of patients completed both courses of chemotherapy. Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) grade 3-4 acute toxicity were gastrointestinal (18.6%) and hematologic (15.1%). Late morbidity actuarial risk of 14% at 4 years primarily involved the rectum. Initial sites of recurrence were pelvis alone, 20.9%; distant metastases only, 31.4%; and pelvic plus distant metastases, 10.5%. The 3-year OS and PFI rate were 39% and 34%, respectively, for the entire group. OS was Stage I--50%, Stage II--39%, and Stage III/IVA--38%. CONCLUSIONS Extended field radiation therapy with 5-FU and cisplatin chemotherapy was feasible in a multicenter clinical trial. PFI of 33% at 3 years suggests that a proportion of patients achieve control of advanced pelvic disease and that not all patients with PAN metastases have systemic disease. This points to the importance of assessment and treatment of PAN metastases.